I guess I just have an anti-betta fry thumb. They see me coming and leap into their father's mouth. Well, actually half the time they baracade themselves inside of their mother.

My male just doesn't know how to wrap himself around my female. He tried and tried and tried, but he never could squeeze any eggs out of her. I left them in there all night, but when I woke up the nest was gone and the female is still fat with eggs. So, I'm now in the market for a new male. :/

You might need to leave them together longer-especially if they are attempting to spawn/embrace. Make sure your spawning tank has plenty of places for the female to get away to rest and watch her and him for that matter for signs of stress (as I am sure you are already doing).

Sometimes when you have inexperienced breeders or an extra rotund female- that can make for a difficult embrace. They need more time together IME.

I have had males that would pop off during the embrace and get really frustrated-Some, it would take a week or more before they figured it out...but they nearly always did-with a few exceptions.

Feed and turn off the light as normal when you need to leave them together for more than 24h. Keep your photoperiod on 12 hour on and 12 hours off and if you have live mosquito larva-mass feed them-add 20-30 larva to the spawning tank and let them feed together. If you haven't already-add lots of tannins from either IAL or Oak leaf and even use one whole to float. Since I don't know what spawning and conditioning method you are using. If you haven't already and you can add lots of plants-either live or silk to the tank-mass amounts in all places except in the section you want the male to build his nest. This will allow the female to get away to rest easier and help prevent premature egg drops.

You might need to leave them together longer-especially if they are attempting to spawn/embrace. Make sure your spawning tank has plenty of places for the female to get away to rest and watch her and him for that matter for signs of stress (as I am sure you are already doing).

Sometimes when you have inexperienced breeders or an extra rotund female- that can make for a difficult embrace. They need more time together IME.

I have had males that would pop off during the embrace and get really frustrated-Some, it would take a week or more before they figured it out...but they nearly always did-with a few exceptions.

Feed and turn off the light as normal when you need to leave them together for more than 24h. Keep your photoperiod on 12 hour on and 12 hours off and if you have live mosquito larva-mass feed them-add 20-30 larva to the spawning tank and let them feed together. If you haven't already-add lots of tannins from either IAL or Oak leaf and even use one whole to float. Since I don't know what spawning and conditioning method you are using. If you haven't already and you can add lots of plants-either live or silk to the tank-mass amounts in all places except in the section you want the male to build his nest. This will allow the female to get away to rest easier and help prevent premature egg drops.

Good luck...

So do you think I should try them again? I only took the female out because the bubble nest had dissolved and the female and male were far apart and weren't showing signs of interest anymore. When I first put them together, they immediately began the chasing and within an hour they were trying to embrace. The embrace always stuns the female, but the male kind of wiggles away at the last second and never completely wraps around her.

I would leave them together longer-especially since they did attempt to spawn.

It can sometimes take them several attempt to get it right and sometimes it can take several successful embraces before eggs start to drop.

If its been more than 24 hours since you separated them-I would do a short term re-condition on them. Separate both so they can't see each other- with neither in the spawning tank and mass feed for 2 days-live mosquito larva if you have that. Then add the male to the spawning tank and the female cupped-unless you have mass plants in the tank to use for a natural divider. If you cup her-once she show readiness release her and leave them together until they spawn-provided that neither are stressing...

I don't wait on bubbly nest, mine will usually make one once he has eggs in his mouth or he will let the eggs float until they are done-then build a nest.

I would leave them together longer-especially since they did attempt to spawn.

It can sometimes take them several attempt to get it right and sometimes it can take several successful embraces before eggs start to drop.

If its been more than 24 hours since you separated them-I would do a short term re-condition on them. Separate both so they can't see each other- with neither in the spawning tank and mass feed for 2 days-live mosquito larva if you have that. Then add the male to the spawning tank and the female cupped-unless you have mass plants in the tank to use for a natural divider. If you cup her-once she show readiness release her and leave them together until they spawn-provided that neither are stressing...

I don't wait on bubbly nest, mine will usually make one once he has eggs in his mouth or he will let the eggs float until they are done-then build a nest.

My female is so full of eggs, I'm legitamently concerned her stomach might pop. When she sees the male, she's head down immediately. There isn't a bubble nest, but I think I'll leave them together tonight.

I have left pairs together for up to a week. Sometimes I have to make some adjustments... I use the sight of another male to entice the male to breed. (mirror, another betta floated, etc) and the sight of a female, if it is the female who is being stubborn. I make sure there is a good amount of food offered to them, while in the spawn tank.